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* THE GLASS FACTORY. *
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¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:* BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO *:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨,~:*¤@### FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ###@¤*:~,¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# AND A GIFT SHOP. #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:* MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE *:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ CONSIDERED POOR. ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨,~:*¤@### YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ###@¤*:~,¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:* SOME ARE SHATTERED. *:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨,~:*¤@### VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ###@¤*:~,¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ ** ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:* ** ** *:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ ~~~~~~~ * * ~~~~~~~ ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ ** ** @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# ** #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨,~:*¤@### I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ###@¤*:~,¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:* DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO *:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨,~:*¤@### HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ###@¤*:~,¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:* WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS *:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨,~:*¤@### LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ###@¤*:~,¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:* ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING *:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ LIT FROM BEHIND. ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨,~:*¤@### WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ###@¤*:~,¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:* *:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ ** ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ ** ** @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# ~~~~~~~ * * ~~~~~~~ #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## ** ** ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨,~:*¤@### ** ###@¤*:~,¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:* IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. *:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨,~:*¤@### PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ###@¤*:~,¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:* A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS *:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨,~:*¤@### IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ###@¤*:~,¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:* WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND *:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨,~:*¤@### DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ###@¤*:~,¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ FLOOR. @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:* HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO *:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨,~:*¤@### HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ###@¤*:~,¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:* MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A *:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## BECOME STILL. ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨,~:*¤@### ###@¤*:~,¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## ** ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# ** ** #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ ~~~~~~~ * * ~~~~~~~ @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ ** ** ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:* ** *:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨,~:*¤@### STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ###@¤*:~,¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,~:* *:~,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,~:*¤ SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ¤*:~,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,~:*¤@ THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK @¤*:~,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨,~:*¤@### THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ###@¤*:~,¨
¨¨,~:*¤@## ##@¤*:~,¨¨
¨¨¨,~:*¤@# I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. #@¤*:~,¨¨¨
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